Cylindrical target for high volume gas entrained paper pulp refiner discharge



Jaun. 14, 1969 H. J. EKLUND 3,422,450

CYLINDRICAL TARGET FOR HIGH VOLUME'GAS ENTRAINED PAPER PULP HEFINER DISCHARGE I Filed Aug. 27, 1965 Sh eet of 5 INVENTOR.

- k4 ATTORNEYS Jan. 14, 1969 H. J. EKLUND 3,422,450

CYLINDRICAL TARGET FOR HIGH VOLUME GAS ENTRAINED PAPER PULP REFINER DISCHARGE Sheet 2 of 5 Filed Aug. 27, 1965 56 I INVENTOR.

2242i JZZZzzzzd 5- 4409 ATTORNEYS Jan. 14, 1969 H. J. EKLUND 3,422,450

CYLINDRICAL TARGET FOR HIGH VOLUME GAS ENTRAINED PAPER PULP REFINER DISCHARGE Filed Aug. 27, 1965 Sheet 3 of 5 I N VEN TORv zzzylflJZZ/zzzzd m" y ATTORNEYS United States Patent Oil Free 3,422,450 Patented Jan. 14, 1969 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A cylindrical target surface is provided in a discharge conduit to improve the flow speed of the pulp from the refiner. A doctor blade may be used to aid in the removal of pulp from the target surface.

This invention relates to a device for controlling and directing the discharge of a pulp refiner as used in the paper making industry and in particular to a target cylinder disposed for accepting and depositing the discharge of a high volume refiner.

Increasing demands on the paper industry have generated needs for more productive and more compact equipment. For example, machines have been developed for converting raw materials into usable pulp at a significantly increased rate. Such refiners, while maintaining a higher volume of output, have been reduced in size by designing for an increased flow speed.

However, though new improvements in refiners have resulted in a higher volume, higher density output, means for receiving and transferring that output to storage chambers or to a further production stage have failed to keep pace.

Attempts have heretofore been directed at applying the refiner output directly through a conduit to a conveyor belt for transferral to a storage area. Such attempts, however, have usually resulted in both the clogging of the conduit due to the adhesive nature of pulp and in the inefficient use of the conveyor system due to unpredictable quantities of pulp being released at irregular intervals.

Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide a means for accepting and transferring the output of a high speed pulp refiner.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a means for maintaining a uniform flow of material through a discharge conduit of a high speed refiner.

It is another object of this invention to provide a means for deflecting the output flow of a pulp refiner into a substantial angle.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a high speed cylinder for accomplishing the above-described objects.

These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be understood in greater detail from the following description and the associated drawin gs wherein reference numerals are utilized in designating a preferred embodiment and wherein:

FIGURE 1 illustrates the cooperative aspects of a pulp refiner in conjunction with a discharge chamber employing a target cylinder according to this invtntion;

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional view of the discharge chamber illustrated in FIGURE 1 for emphasizing the relative position of the internal features thereof;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken along the lines IIII1I of FIGURE 2 showing the structure of a doctor blade employed in this invention; and

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view of the discharge chamber taken along the lines IV-IV of FIGURE 2 illustrating the provision for mounting the target cylinder within the discharge chamber.

A preferred embodiment of the discharge chamber and target cylinder of this invention as found in a working environment is shown in FIGURE 1 and comprises generally a rotating cylinder which is disposed within the fiow path of a pulp refiner. The high velocity associated with the refiner causes the moist material to impact and adhere to the rotating surface resulting in a layer build-up which is a function of the flow volume and the speed of the passing surface. As the rotating surface passes below the refiner flow path, the deposited material is removed by a doctor blade which is mounted at the interior of the discharge chamber. The pulp scraped from the target cylinder will maintain a velocity substantially equal to that of the rotating surface and will be directed tangentially from the point of contact with the doctor blade. Once removed in this manner, the pulp may be conveniently deposited on a conveyor or the like for being transferred to a storage bin or to a subsequent production stage.

One of the principal features characterizing this invention is the provision for the target cylinder to move at a high speed relative to the refiner discharge rate. A high cylinder speed means that a large target area will be provided during a given instant for receiving the refiner output. The result is that large and unpredictable quantities of discharged pulp will be deposited in a more uniform layer and removed by the doctor blade in a substantially steady flow. Where the output of the re finer is sufficiently erratic to result in clogging of the system in the absence of the moving cylinder, the output of the discharge chamber at the doctor blade is highly confined and may be extended through a considerable distance to a conveyor belt without adhering to the adjacent conduit walls.

In addition to the provision for maintaining a more uniform highly controlled flow, this invention also provides a means for eliminating excess air developed at the output of the pulp refiner. In particular, the discharge chamber is provided with an air vent formed intermediate the input and the rotating cylinder. Large quantities of air suddenly ejected into the discharge chamber will be allowed to expand upwardly through the vent thereby discouraging the development of air pockets which can be a significant means of obstructing the continuous flow of materials through the connecting conduit.

Referring to FIGURE 1 in greater detail, a high speed, high volume pulp refiner is indicated by the reference numeral 1 and is provided with an outlet 2 which is to be connected directly to an inlet 3 of the associated discharge chamber. The refiner as shown in this view is greatly reduced in size relative to the disoharge chamber with which it is cooperable as evidenced by the comparative sizes of the outlet 2 and the adjoining inlet 3. Generally the discharge of the refiner 1 is received at the inlet 3 as indicated by the arrows therebetween. The output flow of the refiner 1 is at a sufficiently high velocity such that the path of travel is substantially horizontal between the inlet 3 and the target cylinder 4.

The cylinder 4 is mounted within an opening formed at a horizontal wall 5 and is fixedly secured to a shaft 6. The shaft 6 is journalled within a sleeve 7 formed integrally with a plate 8 'which is mounted directly to the associated chamber wall. The upper half of the cylinder is enclosed by a casing 9 which is bolted to a principal frame 10 by a plurality of bolts 11 received within the peripheral flange 12. The shaft 6 extends outwardly of the casing 9 for receiving a large pulley 13 which is keyed to the shaft 6 at a collar 14.

The mechanical power source for the target cylinder is an electric motor 16 which is mounted on a bracket comprising a horizontal frame 17 and supporting legs 18 and 19. The motor 16 also has a pulley 20 keyed to a main shaft 21 at a collar 22. The cylinder 4 is driven by a V-belt 23 tightly secured about the respective pulleys. It may be noted that the pulley 13 is provided to be substantially larger than the pulley 22 permitting a step down in revolutions per minute from the motor to the cylinder. However, though the cylinder moves at a substantially slower r.p.m., the cylindrical surface, being radially larger than that of the pulley 13, will have a tangential velocity greater than the tangential velocity of the belt 23 or of the pulley 20.

Referring again to the structure of the discharge chamber, it can be seen that a vent 24 is provided intermediate the inlet 3 and the target surface 4. The vent 24 is equipped with a horizontal flange 25 for making connections with a conduit of a central ventilating system. It may be appreciated, therefore, that the flow of pulp from the inlet 3 to the target surface 4 will be substantially uninterrupted by air pockets due to the releasing of compressed air through the vent 24.

The operation of the doctor blade in conjunction with the rotating cylinder, along with a study of the pulp flow may be understood from the cross-sectional drawing of FIGURE 2. In FIGURE 2 the pulley arrangement intermediate the cylinder and the motor has been removed and the positional relationship between the inlet 3, the target surface, and a doctor blade 26 is emphasized. Principally, the doctor blade 26 is mounted to the chamber wall 27 by bolts 28 and 29. The structure of the blade may be considered in the view of FIGURE 3 which is taken along the lines III-III of FIGURE 2. Generally, the blade 26 comprises a rectangular plate 30, which extends from the wall 27 through the entire depth of the cylinder 4, and a stiffening plate 31 disposed at the action edge of the plate 30. The stiffening plate 31 is shown here in the form of an angle iron suitably secured as by welding t0 the lower surface of the rectangular plate 30. Also, an angle iron section 32 is provided at the lower surface of the plate and is utilized as a reinforcement means for bolting the doctor assembly to the wall 27.

The function of the doctor blade 26 is to remove the steady build-up of pulp which occurs at the target surface 4 by virtue of the influx through the aligned inlet 3. As pulp is deposited at the cylinder it will be carried to the vicinity of the doctor blade where it will be scraped free by the plate 30 which is mounted in close proximity with the moving surface 4.

In this manner it can be understood that a more uniform and more confined flow is achieved. Principally, a large influx of pulp through the inlet 3 will be spread over a considerable area of the target cylinder. This area is not confined to the instantaneous area in alignment with the inlet 3 but may, in fact, be equal to the entire area of the rotating surface or several times that area depending upon the relationship of the cylinder speed and the flow rate. Therefore, for a high-speed cylinder a relatively large pulp influx may be uniformly received by the rotating surface to be steadily removed by the doctor blade 6 in a substantially confined stream. This stream may then be successfully directed to a conveyor belt without the substantial interference associated with clogging of the system conduit.

For further illustrating the mounting of the target cylinder, a sectional view is provided in FIGURE 4 and is taken along the lines IV--IV of FIGURE 2. In FIGURE 4 it can be seen that the cylinder 4 is fixedly secured at openings 33 and 34 formed centrally of end walls 35 and 36 respectively. The shaft 6 is then journalled within sleeves 7 formed integrally with supporting brackets 8. The brackets 8 are mounted at the chamber walls 41 and 42 through a plurality of bolts 43 which are received through complementary bores 44 formed within ring plates 45 and 46. It is apparent, therefore, that the cylinder may be easily cleaned or repaired by removing the bolts 43 for disengaging the brackets 8 and by removing the bolts 11 (FIG. 1) for allowing the casing 9 to be separated from the frame 10. It is also apparent that the pulley 13 may be readily replaced by virtue of its location outwardly of the casing 9. The pulley may be changed for example, to alter the r.p.m. ratio from motor to cylinder.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a paper processing system adapted for use with a refiner,

a conduit means having an inlet and having an outlet for leading to a secondary paper processing means and being disposed at a substantial angle relative to said inlet,

means for introducing a high speed fiow of pulp into said inlet,

a cylindrical target surface disposed within said conduit means between said inlet and outlet with the axis of the surface extending transversely of the inlet,

and means for continually moving said target surface in a direction from said inlet to said outlet for carrying pulp in the direction of the outlet.

2. A paper processing system in accordance with claim 1 including a doctor blade disposed adjacent to said cylindrical target surface in the vicinity of said outlet for scraping pulp from the target surface.

3. A paper processing system in accordance with claim 1 wherein means defining a vent outlet is located adjacent said inlet to exhaust air released in the process of moving pulp through said inlet.

4. A paper processing system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said cylindrical target surface is provided by a portion of the outer surface of a rotatable cylinder with said portion exposed to said inlet through an opening defined in a wall of the chamber between said inlet and outlet.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 210,339 11/1878 Lauga 162-261 320,612 6/1885 Allen et a1 162-261 2,148,448 2/1939 Edwards 162-21 X 3,227,606 1/ 1966 Bidwell 16228 X S. LEON BASHORE, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 

